
Pāṇini Grammar Classes
Upcoming Class:
Intro to Pāṇini
Start Date: April 10, 2025
Time: 8:00- 9:30 AM Pacific Time
Dates: April 10, 24. May 1, 8, 22, 29
Tuition: $180 (Scholarships available)
Contact Shanta if you are interested in learning more or enrolling
In this 6-week class we will learn the Pāṇinian alphabet and begin to use and understand the sūtras.
We will focus on learning to read this coded text and enjoy its beauty. The emphasis will be on a practical approach to diving into using the text, as well as sūtras that explain common Sandhiḥ rules etc. We will also look at examples from Sanskrit literature that illustrate these sūtras.
Pāṇini has been called the father of linguistics. His era is very roughly dated around 350 BCE. In Pāniṇi’s text, the Aṣṭādhyāyī, the Sanskrit language is fully explained in short coded sūtras. Studying Pāṇini gives a deeper and often easier way of understanding many elements of the language. It is also a wonderful exercise in its own right.
Prerequisites
Module Two or the equivalent. Feel free to inquire with any questions.
Pāṇini Course objectives:
1. Review basic elements in early Sanskrit study and understand them from a deeper and sometimes easier point of view. Begin to learn how to build nouns and verbs and look behind the scenes at the world of Sandhi rules.
2. Gain an introduction into the world of Pāṇini- begin to use the sūtras to understand what happens in the language. Begin to play the Pāṇinian game.
3. Have fun.
4. Experience that working with sūtras can facilitate meditation.
5. Begin to see patterns and connections in the Sanskrit language that will make learning new material easier.